Aquinas wasn’t just under the influence, to some degree, of Catholic crusaders though.  He was also blazing a new trail for Catholic theologians by allowing the writings of Aristotle and other non-theologians/philosophers to color his thinking on God.  Specifically, Aquinas was among the first to say out loud that he… Read More

The main benefit to me in studying Just War has been gaining a better understanding of how we Christians have historically decided what is “right” and “wrong”.  What influences theologians and people like you and me as we make such weighty decisions?  What should influence us? Today’s backtracks to look… Read More

Augustine got the Just War ball rolling in the late 4th Century by outlining three kinds of wars he believed God’s people can support.  And his theories were not changed for the most part but instead grew in popularity among Catholics. Then along came Thomas Aquinas 900 years later, in… Read More

In Augustine’s theory, three kinds of war were morally defensible: a defensive war against aggression, a war to gain just reparations for previous wrong, and a war to recover stolen property.(1) There may be biblical foundations for Augustine’s deciding only to accept these three kinds of wars, or to accept… Read More